COMPETITIVENESS OF ENTERPRISES: THEORETICAL FOUNDATIONS, FACTORS OF FORMATION AND MODERN APPROACHES TO ASSESSMENT

Abstract

The article addresses the theoretical aspects of the concept of enterprise competitiveness as a central category within market relations. It defines the essence and content of competitiveness and its place in contemporary economic theory. Special emphasis is placed on the factors that shape enterprise competitiveness, including internal factors (organizational, human resources, financial, and technological) and external ones (market conditions, state regulation, and the intensity of competition). The article outlines modern approaches to evaluating competitiveness, highlighting integral methods, business process analysis, and strategic evaluation techniques. Furthermore, the article evaluates the advantages and disadvantages of classical approaches to competitiveness assessment. In the digital era, business practices are being fundamentally transformed, imposing new requirements on information technologies – particularly in systems for managing marketing, sales, customer service, electronic document flow, human resources, accounting, and other corporate functions. This transformation reflects the ongoing institutional changes in the economy aimed at comprehensive digitalization, which is unfolding through long-term, dynamic shifts. This process is not only socio-economic but also innovation-oriented, fostering the evolution of structural components within the economy and contributing to high levels of innovation-driven growth. The article concludes that the current stage of global economic development is marked by revolutionary transformations driven by the rapid advancement of digital technologies. One of the key outcomes of digitalization in the context of globalization is the automation of analytical processes, which enhances the speed, accuracy, and scalability of data processing. These transformations rely on cutting-edge analytical tools, including artificial intelligence, machine learning, and predictive analytics – all of which provide enterprises with significant competitive advantages in an increasingly dynamic market environment.